Home of the chiefs

[whackojacko58]

Im a life long chiefs fan but my father in law asked a good question during the athem home of the chiefs, who started it where did it come from i love it but a very valid question. Also why do ku fans say it before there games?

[tornadospotter]

Time to get fired up! Start the drums, season will soon start. Time to start the War Dance! Chiefs will win! Time to believe in our team!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnodDTSqVhU"]Tomahawk Chop Song - YouTube[/ame]

[buffman316]

that is very cool, and at the All Star game I head that on TV and thought that was very cool. They were a little puzzled on ESPN lol

[chiefnut]

ya know, shanon sharpie has told the storie a # of times about his first trip to ARROWHEAD. his teamates warned him this was a unique place to place and it was LOUD. he blew it off as hype. when they ran out on the field he was shocked at how loud it was but when they stood for the National Anthem and got to the "home of the CHIEFS" he said he thought they were going to get attacked!! of course shannon started w/the bronx in 1990 and Hughy Lewis sang it 1994 so i don't know if it was true. but what the heck it made a good story!

[nigeriannightmare]

[QUOTE=chiefnut;262138]ya know, shanon sharpie has told the storie a # of times about his first trip to ARROWHEAD. his teamates warned him this was a unique place to place and it was LOUD. he blew it off as hype. when they ran out on the field he was shocked at how loud it was but when they stood for the National Anthem and got to the "home of the CHIEFS" he said he thought they were going to get attacked!! of course shannon started w/the bronx in 1990 and Hughy Lewis sang it 1994 so i don't know if it was true. but what the heck it made a good

Pretty sure i heard home of the chiefs in 1993 when joe was here.

[OPLookn]

[quote=nigeriannightmare;262144]

ya know, shanon sharpie has told the storie a # of times about his first trip to ARROWHEAD. his teamates warned him this was a unique place to place and it was LOUD. he blew it off as hype. when they ran out on the field he was shocked at how loud it was but when they stood for the National Anthem and got to the "home of the CHIEFS" he said he thought they were going to get attacked!! of course shannon started w/the bronx in 1990 and Hughy Lewis sang it 1994 so i don't know if it was true. but what the heck it made a good

Pretty sure i heard home of the chiefs in 1993 when joe was here.

I did a bit of reading and several season ticket holders talked about how in 1990 they didn't do it but during the 1991 season they did. They don't remember how or why is started but they said they remembered it happening at the Broncos game in 91.

Two said they thought it was Marty that started it...but I only managed to find 3 guys here at the office that went to the games back then and could actually remember that far back...hey they've had a few beers....ok a few thousand beers since then. ;)

[chiefnut]

well maybe sha-none was right, how bout that!!

[Yoda]

FSU does the same chant....they have permission from the Seminole Nation to use their likeness.

[Connie Jo]

LOL I don't know about Shannon Sharpe's account, just know over the years I've heard and read many people associated with the Chiefs, including fans, say it was Huey Lewis who began the tradition. Maybe Shannon was combining two memories of different visits to Arrowhead; his impression of how loud Arrowhead was the first time he played there and a separate memory of when he heard 'home of the Chiefs' yelled. It's possible I suppose, some fans yelled it prior to 1994, but when Huey Lewis did it, it caught on throughout the entire fan base, established it as tradition? It also depends upon the reliability of those remembering...sometimes I can't remember which year which event occurred, or confuse them, as my memory isn't as accurate as it once was, hahaha.

I'll submit the question to Bob Moore, who is the official historian for the Chiefs franchise. Maybe he can tell us more. :)

[Connie Jo]

Oh, and as far as the Chiefs Warchant...I did extensive research on that subject once upon a time. The original Warchant theme began with Florida State University, as Yoda mentioned above.

Here is a copy/paste I saved related to the origin of the Warchant. :)


The War Chant

"Florida State's "war chant" might have begun with a random occurrence that took place during a 1984 contest with the Auburn Tigers, but most Seminole historians might remember it to be a tradition that holds over thirty years in it's evolution. With the popular Seminole cheer of the 1960's, "massacre," led by members of the Marching Chiefs chanting its melody, so was the first stage of the current popular Seminole cry. In a sense, "massacre," was the long version of FSU's current "war chant".

During a very exciting game with Auburn in 1984, the Marching Chiefs began to perform the cheer. Some students behind the band joined in and continued the "war chant" portion after the band had ceased. The result, which was not very melodic at the time, sounded more like chants by American Indians in Western movies. Most say it came from the fraternity section, but many spirited Seminole fans added the "chopping" motion, a repetitious bend at the elbow, to symbolize a tomahawk swinging down.

The chant continued largely among the student body during the 1985 season, and by the 1986 season was a stadiumwide activity. Of course, the Marching Chiefs refined the chant, plus put its own special brand of accompaniment to the "war chant", and the result exists today.

By the time the Atlanta Braves started with it, the chant and the arm motion generally were associated with Florida State's rising football program. The Kansas City Chiefs first heard it when the Northwest Missouri State band, directed by 1969 FSU graduate Al Sergel, performed the chant while the players were warming up for a game against San Diego. Such a powerful cheer, FSU's "war chant" can be linked to Atlanta's and Kansas City's resurgence in their own respective leagues."

[tornadospotter]

Oh, and as far as the Chiefs Warchant...I did extensive research on that subject once upon a time. The original Warchant theme began with Florida State University, as Yoda mentioned above.

Here is a copy/paste I saved related to the origin of the Warchant. :)


The War Chant

"Florida State's "war chant" might have begun with a random occurrence that took place during a 1984 contest with the Auburn Tigers, but most Seminole historians might remember it to be a tradition that holds over thirty years in it's evolution. With the popular Seminole cheer of the 1960's, "massacre," led by members of the Marching Chiefs chanting its melody, so was the first stage of the current popular Seminole cry. In a sense, "massacre," was the long version of FSU's current "war chant".

During a very exciting game with Auburn in 1984, the Marching Chiefs began to perform the cheer. Some students behind the band joined in and continued the "war chant" portion after the band had ceased. The result, which was not very melodic at the time, sounded more like chants by American Indians in Western movies. Most say it came from the fraternity section, but many spirited Seminole fans added the "chopping" motion, a repetitious bend at the elbow, to symbolize a tomahawk swinging down.

The chant continued largely among the student body during the 1985 season, and by the 1986 season was a stadiumwide activity. Of course, the Marching Chiefs refined the chant, plus put its own special brand of accompaniment to the "war chant", and the result exists today.

By the time the Atlanta Braves started with it, the chant and the arm motion generally were associated with Florida State's rising football program. The Kansas City Chiefs first heard it when the Northwest Missouri State band, directed by 1969 FSU graduate Al Sergel, performed the chant while the players were warming up for a game against San Diego. Such a powerful cheer, FSU's "war chant" can be linked to Atlanta's and Kansas City's resurgence in their own respective leagues."

The chant has powerful effects.